Me Too

"When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy,"  Matthew 2:10.

When I make Christmas decorations with my children, I feel the same way.

*This post is part of a series.  I've set aside one afternoon  (or morning) a week to do fun activities with my children.  In an effort to work out why it both draws and repels me, I choose these activities from Pinterest.  This one comes from here, and I've pinned it here.*

Multitasking

Today we learned about perseverance.  There may have been a few temper tantrums involved (one of them may have almost been mine).  There were certainly fine motor skills, and recognising patterns, and self-acceptance, and trying hard things, and apologies, and math, and laughter, and generosity, and second chances, and goofy jokes involved.  And the whole time, my children thought we were making beautiful paper bracelets (and one sweet pink crown).



*This post is part of a series.  I've set aside one afternoon  (or morning) a week to do fun activities with my children.  In an effort to work out why it both draws and repels me, I choose these activities from Pinterest.  This one comes from here, and I've pinned it here.*

To Be Continued...

Once upon a time, there was a family who made some window clings with glue, wax paper, and paint.  Twelve hours later, they still hadn't dried. 

Dunh, dunh, daaaa.....

*This post is part of a series.  I've set aside one afternoon  (or morning) a week to do fun activities with my children.  In an effort to work out why it both draws and repels me, I choose these activities from Pinterest.  This one comes from here, and I've pinned it here.*

Play Dough For Aliens, Five Children, and Me

Today, we made this slimy, gooey stuff.  I chose it because I had all the ingredients on hand (two cups cornstarch, one cup water, a couple drops food colouring), and it was easy (get out a bowl, measure, dump, stir, play, giggle, spill, marvel).


*This post is part of a series.  I've set aside one afternoon  (or morning) a week to do fun activities with my children.  In an effort to work out why it both draws and repels me, I choose these activities from Pinterest.  This one comes from here, and I've pinned it here.*

Bubbles Go Awry

Some days, I whip off the bubble solution, and the children gather round with magic in their eyes and joy in their hearts.  Other days, they elbow each other out of the way with shouts of, "It's my turn!"  Today was more the latter than the former.  If you would like shoving and tears at your house, slowly mix six cups of water with two cups of dish soap, and twelve drops of glycerin.


*This post is part of a series.  I've set aside one afternoon  (or morning) a week to do fun activities with my children.  In an effort to work out why it both draws and repels me, I choose these activities from Pinterest.  This one comes from here, and I've pinned it here.*

Building With Children--A Post In Which Mr. Snuffleupagus Makes a Cameo

Sometimes a morning is magic.  Today my children used a saw, a sander, a square, and a drill (and safety glasses).  They made their own tents.  If you would like to make a tent (or five), you will need a three quarter inch dowel (around two dollars and fifty cents), two one by twos (a dollar a piece), one piece of braided elastic for each corner (pennies), an old bed sheet (priceless), also two cuts, four holes, light sanding, about fifteen minutes, and joyful excitement (times five).



*This post is part of a series.  I've set aside one afternoon  (or morning) a week to do fun activities with my children.  In an effort to work out why it both draws and repels me, I choose these activities from Pinterest.  This one comes from here, and I've pinned it here.*

Chalk It Up to Awesomeness

This sidewalk chalk activity was colourful, outdoor, summer fun.  But the part that made me stand tall and breathe deeply was what it said to my children.  It said, "Gosh you're neat.  You are creative and interesting.  Your ideas are worth sharing.  You have a gift for making people smile."  Actually maybe it was what my children said back, "I'm really capable.  Look what I can do.  I can slay a monster, transform into a mermaid, design an amazing cake, climb imaginary stairs, slide down a rainbow and swing from the Statue of Liberty a la Spiderman."




*This post is part of a series.  I've set aside one afternoon a week to do fun activities with my children.  In an effort to work out why it both draws and repels me, I choose these activities from Pinterest.*

Button Books Go to Nauvoo

This week, we made these button books. They are delicious! So delicious that I've taken them with me on the road.  That's right, I'm on vacation.  Kind of.  I'm on a bus...with a hundred other people (by people I mean mostly youth), headed to Nauvoo, Illinois. I'm excited.  I've got my Mary, a pillow, and some candy, but what I don't have is a stable internet connection.  So I'll plan to write when I can...or when I get back on Wednesday.  Wish me luck.

*This post is part of a series.  I've set aside Thursday afternoons to do fun activities with my children.  In an effort to work out why it both draws and repels me, I choose these activities from Pinterest.*

Subversive Knitting

The part of me that takes knitting seriously thinks using a loom is cheating.  This week the part of me that finds subversion delicious took a late night drive to Walmart and bought a loom.  That's right.  You heard me.  I'm walkin' on the wild side.  And I like it.  I'm even teaching my children how to loom knit.  Mary and I made this third of a scarf.  I might never go back...okay that was too far.



*This post is part of a series.  I've set aside Thursday afternoons to do fun activities with my children.  In an effort to work out why it both draws and repels me, I choose these activities from Pinterest.*

We Made the Most Relaxing Mess

I've had a lot on my mind, so I went looking for an activity that would require very little concentration, effort, planning.  I found this bubble print idea.  It was soothing, relaxing, therapeutic.  I was especially surprised by how much my older children enjoyed this.  They even invited their friends to join us.  Not one of them was too cool to blow bubbles in paint with a straw.  I think if I did it again, I would add a bit more soap.  We needed several people working together to get a large mound of bubbles.  Looking back, I see again, three long-limbed girls, their heads together, getting spattered with red paint to help the littlest get a really good print.  Maybe I won't tweak the recipe at all.

 

 

 

 

 

*This post is part of a series.  I've set aside Thursday afternoons to do fun activities with my children.  In an effort to work out why it both draws and repels me, I choose these activities from Pinterest.*



Just Don't Call Me a Toilet Paper Tube

This week, we made these dolls.

They're kind of a tough crowd...of toilet paper tubes.

Oops.  They're sensitive...toilet paper tubes.

I'm sorry.  They're a mermaid, an alien, a mermaid, a bunny, and a rocket ship.

 

 

 

 

*This post is part of a series.  I've set aside Thursday afternoons to do fun activities with my children.  In an effort to work out why it both draws and repels me, I choose these activities from Pinterest.*

Timeline of a Craft Gone Viral...Relatively

Thursday, May 29, 2014

8:23 am--I find these God's Eyes on Pinterest.  They're simple to make, leave room for individual creativity, and I have all the supplies in my house.  Perfect!

1:06 pm--I call all the little darlings in from the tramp and we dig through my yarn stash for striking colours and textures.

1:22 pm--We start badly.  My instructions to the group are confusing and I end up showing each child individually how to hold and wrap the popsicle sticks and later how to change colours. 

1:36 pm--"These are so cool!"
                         "Rainbow is my favourite colour."
                   "I could make these all day!"
                            "I'm going to make a carpet of God's Eyes"
                         "What would happen if I used three popsicle sticks?"
                                      "I made it reversible."
                     "This looks like a turtle."
            
6:44 pm--Half the neighbourhood is in my backyard making God's Eyes.

Friday, May 30, 2014

7:49 am--Blogging about our little activity, I'm still amazed by my children's ability to use sticks and string to blow my mind, express themselves, teach a skill to their peers, and create community.




*This post is part of a series.  I've set aside Thursday afternoons to do fun activities with my children.  In an effort to work out why it both draws and repels me, I choose these activities from Pinterest.*

*All times mentioned in this post are estimates.  I'm okay with that.*

Shooting Marshmallows Across the Room a Happy Family Makes...Plus It's Hilarious

This is a marshmallow catapult. 
It cost me pennies and less than five minutes. 
My children love me a little bit more now. 
I'm not kidding.


*This post is part of a series.  I've set aside Thursday afternoons to do fun activities with my children.  In an effort to work out why it both draws and repels me, I choose these activities from Pinterest.*

Smile Over Easy

Two weeks ago, we dyed about seventy-two eggs, and planted ten others.  I am not a gardener.  I do not have a green thumb.  I've killed houseplants, all of them.  So when we pushed hard, dry peas into soil filled egg shells, I realise, I was not expecting much.  The likeliest scenario involved surreptitiously slipping the carton into the trash and pretending the whole thing never happened, "Egg shell planters?  What egg shell planters?"  However, within days, there were delicate green sprouts reaching for the sun.  I couldn't keep from smiling.  I will not say, "The curse is broken!"  But only because it's a little melodramatic.  I will say, "This was a sweet activity that made my heart happy."

*This post is part of a series.  I've set aside Thursday afternoons to do fun activities with my children.  In an effort to work out why it both draws and repels me, I choose these activities from Pinterest.*



Tuppence a Bag

I'm not quite sure about the bird feeders we made this week.  They were easy and satisfying to build and I've pinned them here.  If they attract diners, we will consider them treasure...as long they don't fall apart with the first rain, leaving us with soggy seed and bewildered birds.

*This post is part of a series.  I've set aside Thursday afternoons to do fun activities with my children.  In an effort to work out why it both draws and repels me, I choose these activities from Pinterest.*

Happy Easter!

We love Easter at our house.  It's a special time for our faith and for our family.  One thing we do every year is dye eggs.  A lot of eggs.  Maybe six dozen.  We mix up our cup of water and tablespoon of vinegar and twenty drops of food colouring and away we go.  This year we enriched our eggs with some ideas from Pinterest.  We feel pretty pleased with the results.

I'm thinking a particularly eggy potato salad would go really well with Easter dinner...and lunch...and breakfast.



*This post is part of a series.  I've set aside Thursday afternoons to do fun activities with my children.  In an effort to work out why it both draws and repels me, I choose these activities from Pinterest.*

Now You know That I Am a Spy

We played with invisible ink today.  I'm not sure how my children felt about it, but I enjoyed myself tremendously.  My mind is churning with the possibilities--the first clue on a scavenger hunt, an affirming note to be found on a pillow, or even a mysterious cat peeking out from behind secretly polka-dotted curtains.

 

 

*This post is part of a series.  I've set aside Thursday afternoons to do fun activities with my children.  In an effort to work out why it both draws and repels me, I choose these activities from Pinterest.*



The Chronology of a New Family Staple

On Wednesday afternoon, a friend told me about the velvety texture of homemade moon dough.  On Wednesday evening, I scoured Pinterest for recipes.  On Thursday morning, Beth and I walked four and a half kilometers to buy two enormous bags of corn starch and two enormous bottles of hair conditioner.  On Thursday afternoon, we were 'ret to go'.  Then we played.

 

Pros which made more than enough for six children it feels peculiar  so soft and dry and smooth and smells like conditioner adding food colour makes sweet pastels it's easy to make there's no cooking and only two ingredients

Not Pros I spent about $11 it smells like conditioner but not vivid brights as it dries, it gets a little crumbly one of which is corn starch I have corn starch in crannies all over my kitchen

we made a lot of moon dough...seven times this...and we'll definitely do it again

*This post is part of a series.  I've set aside Thursday afternoons to do fun activities with my children.  In an effort to work out why it both draws and repels me, I choose these activities from Pinterest.*

Mothering Anyway

I think part of why my relationship with Pinterest is complicated is because when I do interesting activities with my children, I feel like a good mother.  This is one of the best feelings there are.  I love feeling like a good mother and Pinterest helps me get there.  The problem is that when I am being like a good mother, I am by definition, not a good mother.  I can't both be something, and be like it.  So the very act of doing Pinteresty activities with my children and feeling like a good mother, comes with the conviction that I am pretending, that I am in actuality not a good mother.  Acting a part.  This is one of the worst feelings there are.  But then I think a good mother puts aside her neurotic fear of mothering badly to engage her children.  I did that this week.  We made these stamps with pink erasers.  They're pinned here.

My children were too busy feeling loved and connected to consider the quality of my mothering that day. 



*This post is part of a series.  I've set aside Thursday afternoons to do fun activities with my children.  In an effort to work out why it both draws and repels me, I choose these activities from Pinterest.*

Please Don't Pet the Slime

Of the Pinterest activities we've tried so far, this glow slime is my favourite.  I've pinned it here.

 

Pros We got to take apart some highlighters  it's neon and oddly cold and not sticky it shivers and bounces and squeaks

Not Pros which, along with five bottles of gel glue, made it a little pricey and messy though nor is it oozy we had to wait several hours after one step it crumbles when you pet it

 

 

*This post is part of a series.  I've set aside Thursday afternoons to do fun activities with my children.  In an effort to work out why it both draws and repels me, I choose these activities from Pinterest.*